This invention lies in the field of knives and is directed to those of the folding blade type suitable for carrying in the pocket. It is more particularly directed to such knives which have means for locking the blades in extended position for greater safety in use.
Foldable locking blade knives have been made and used for many years and innumerable designs have been proposed for accomplishing positive locking and ease of locking and unlocking. Most of these designs are generally satisfactory when the knives are new or have been kept clean at all times. However, many of them have various sharp edges which catch on clothing or may cut the hands in use and they do not have a neat uncluttered appearance like a conventional non-locking pocket knife. The principal defect or disadvantage of these prior art designs is that the operating parts of the locking mechanisms are wide open to the exterior. Such knives are used primarily by campers, hunters and fishermen, and sand, wood chips, and other debris quickly work in between the parts, including the spring components, and interfere with proper operation. The gaps are frequently small and inaccessible so that it is extremely difficult to clean them.